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Falling into 1969 again

November 13, 1969

There was a new table on the stage in math the other day, and M wondered if it would improve his teaching. Felt some camaraderie waiting for the elevator after recitation, looking out over the rainy Columbia campus. I failed the midterm - 50! The curve hasn't been determined yet, but 60 was median. I sort of expected it but I didn't think Miss P [the TA] would take off FULL credit when I had SOMETHING down. One of the boys in back asked me what I got and also how M did (67.5). I bet B, who I'm friendly with now, did well. She looks diligent, writes everything down on file cards. I wonder if anyone did worse than me.

After math, I went to McIntosh but the tables were crowded with people I didn't know so I went back home. No mail, wouldn't you know. J hasn't written in a month, and M's "cruddy letter" he promised when driving home from R's hasn't appeared, but I know how it is. Time really IS rare. I do wish E would answer. It was just fantastic speaking to [different] E the other night - "I never thought I'd WANT to go to a Guide Post party," she remarked. Nostalgia struck, as she recalled how at L's, J made his big announcement that "B didn't get into Harvard!" After that, I remember, he got hysterical when he was reminded that he forgot to ask about N and M. Oh, those were the days...

Somehow L's house had a very weird atmosphere. That night D put his hands on my shoulders a few times. I finally saw him recently in front of the main gates. His hair was longer, but he was otherwise the same - very nice, enthusiastic, chiding that I hadn't joined Spec or gone downtown (I did today, to Sam Goody's with S). Personable is the word for him, but I don't have a crush on him.

Anyway, after sitting in the room awhile, I went back to see Miss P, but the door seemed locked. Dr. J was on the next flight of stairs, talking, but I didn't approach him. In class today he got hysterical (laughed) over ridiculous things. An in-joke with M and me is the course guide's statement reversed - "He always comes prepared to class." Especially lately he botches up proofs.

On the way to McIntosh for another try at lunch, I saw Ja by the steps down to the library and we talked a long time. She and Jo got a deal in the King's Crown Hotel and she wanted to know about Johnson Hall's meal plan. She's excited about being on campus, though she often stays with Dorothy Urman, who also stopped to talk. Close up, she's not a hippie at all. Ja seems to be doing some official-paid-work for Barnard and was chummy with the officer types when we were at Peterson's speech on coeducation recently. Ja participated in anthro today and Prof K passed by and nodded at us while we talked. Recognized someone in his class? we wondered. Ja greeted A.

Soon we went our separate ways and A and I went together to Mac - she for milk and cookies. She remembered me from the last time we met, and was awfully nice. She waited in line with me for my hamburger. She is underage too - April 1 - and does look young, come to think of it. Everyone in high school [in Brooklyn] hated her. She seems like she's trying to make good here. We didn't perfectly click, but we got along fine. She is going out here - with a football freshman, but it will be OK since the season ends tomorrow. A was in the process of cutting French, and went home.

I went back to Johnson, where little kids were annoying in the courtyard. I had started into the law school for their yet untried vending machines but chickened out when I saw people down the corridor. Then to CU Bookstore and dorms. Downtown with S. I realized Reid must have 2 stairways - the inconsistencies were driving me crazy. I couldn't believe I was in Manhattan. Even though I'm totally used to CU, it was exciting to come back to it from the subway. I ate too much today.

A bad moment occurred at WKCR tonight, where I went after taking J's books to Carman, where she was to meet D who would drive her home. I had finally read the engineering manual, finishing in the Ferris Booth bathroom, where a tremendous din seemed to stem from the studios. I was almost scared to knock. Jovial people were in the reception room, including M, who I spoke to. I had talked to him Tuesday when he helped me with phoning in listings and talked of linguistics. A character, he pretended to be someone else when the phone was for him. I told him I didn't know what to do next and he led me to Control Room A where a kid was taking apart the turntable arm and was screamed at. Things got too crowded though, and finally I was sort of asked to leave. M muttered I picked a bad night to come. All of them have a certain atmosphere. It's a clique, I suppose, but some of my best friends were in cliques.

Hey, this is a real entry. What a different world than the summer. Thinking about it, I don't have any serious crushes here. Phooey. Physics might help. M wanted to fix me up with a high school senior but I don't care about social life THAT much, and I wouldn't want my first real date to be under those circumstances.